When Oregon needed someone to step up, Dylan Raiola answered the call.
The junior quarterback, who is Native Hawaiian, entered Saturday night’s rivalry matchup against USC under circumstances nobody expected. With starting quarterback Dante Moore forced to leave the game following a frightening hit in the second quarter, Raiola was suddenly tasked with leading the Ducks through one of their biggest games of the season. He delivered. Raiola completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns, helping No. 20 Oregon rally past No. 12 USC, 41-27, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. But to be honest, the night was about far more than statistics. It was about stepping up for a teammate, trusting his preparation and leaning on his faith when his team needed him most.
Raiola entered the game after Moore was injured while scrambling near the USC 12-yard line. USC linebacker Desman Stephens II was ejected for targeting on the play, and Moore was taken from the field by ambulance to a local hospital for further evaluation. The game was temporarily stopped as Moore received medical attention. For Oregon, the scene was difficult to process. Raiola made that clear following the game.
Before answering any questions about his own performance, the Oregon quarterback made sure his first message was for his teammate wearing No. 5.
“For my brother, 5, seeing him like that shook the whole team, but at the same time we knew that was our brother and we were going to fight for him.”
Raiola continued by sending his love to Moore and making it clear that the Ducks were going to hold things down for him. Then came the football. On just his second snap, Raiola connected with Evan Stewart for a 3-yard touchdown, immediately giving Oregon a 10-7 lead. From there, he settled into the game and helped guide the Ducks through a second half in which Oregon scored four touchdowns. With the game tied 27-27 in the fourth quarter, Raiola delivered perhaps his biggest play of the night.He connected with Dakorien Moore on a 29-yard touchdown pass, putting Oregon back in front with 8:35 remaining. The Ducks added another touchdown late to seal the 41-27 victory.For Raiola, the moment carried additional weight.
The USC game was familiar territory. At Nebraska last season, Raiola suffered a season-ending leg injury against the Trojans, eventually leading him to Oregon. Now, in his first significant action for the Ducks, he found himself facing USC again, this time with the responsibility of taking over the offense after his teammate was injured. Yet Raiola didn’t describe the night as being about himself.
Instead, he pointed to something much bigger.
“I just put all my chips in God’s hands”
Raiola has been open about the importance of his faith throughout his football career, and after Saturday night’s emotional victory, he credited that faith with helping him find peace in an unpredictable moment.
“I’m huge in my faith, and I just put all my chips in God’s hands, and when you do that, that’s the best way because you find peace.”
That mindset allowed Raiola to focus on the moment in front of him rather than everything surrounding it. He also emphasized that Oregon’s job was to continue fighting, regardless of the circumstances. “The ultimate goal is to win,” Raiola said. “No matter how it happens, no matter sadly whatever goes down, like the game of football doesn’t feel sorry for us. We got to step up and we got to keep fighting.” And that’s exactly what Oregon did. The Ducks finished with 504 total yards, including 366 through the air, while Raiola’s two touchdown passes helped Oregon pull away from a USC team that had entered the night ranked No. 12 in the country.
For a quarterback who entered the night as Oregon’s backup, it was a defining performance. For a Native Hawaiian quarterback with deep ties to Hawaiʻi and the Polynesian football community, it was also another significant moment on a stage that has followed him throughout his career. Raiola grew up in Hawaiʻi and has spoken publicly about the importance of Polynesian culture to him and his family. He was also recognized as a Native Hawaiian by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. But perhaps the most telling part of Raiola’s night wasn’t a touchdown pass or a stat line. It was what he said before talking about himself.
Dante Moore update
Oregon received encouraging news Sunday morning regarding Moore.
According to CBS Sports, Moore suffered a concussion during the USC game and is expected to return later this season. He will need to go through the required concussion protocol, and there is currently no immediate timeline for his return. CBS Sports also reported that Moore is not believed to have suffered any additional injuries. Moore traveled back to Eugene with the Ducks following the game. The injury initially created significant concern after Moore was taken from the field in an ambulance. Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after the game that Moore was in recovery and was able to move, while noting that the team would continue to assess him. Now, with a concussion diagnosis and an expectation that Moore can return this season, Oregon can turn its attention toward his recovery.
